Door latch



I June 27, 1944- R. T. ANDEIRSON ET AL DOOR LATCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledFeb. 26, 1941 1 Car/w .Owm'

u 1944- R. T. ANDERSON ETAL 2,352,465

' DOOR LATCH Filed Feb. 26, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 1944- R. T.ANDERSON ET AL 2,352,455

DOOR LATCH v Filed Feb. 26, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 @r/fi? 39 *64 M am 1 53 D .zzze-amzuffl Patented June 27, 1944 UNITED STATES; esrenr or -Pics2,352,465 f I Richard T. Anderson, St. Paul and Carl Olson,-

Minneapolis, Minn.

Our invention relates to an improvement in door latches, and moreparticularly in that type of door latch in which the door may beunlatched by a simple push or pull action.

The same general type of latch which we desire to protect has now beenin general use for a period of time. In these previous types of latches,however, certain disadvantages have been found. Certain of the latcheshave been manufactured with a channel bracket which fits over the edgeand adjacent side surfacesof the door. These latches have been extremelypopular commercially, but have the disadvantage of fitting only doors ofa predetermined thickness. Others of the latches have been madeadjustable to fit doors of various thicknesses. Such latches areslightly more costly to manufacture. Furthermore, it has been felt insome instances that a more inexpensive construction could be made bymounting all of the latch construction on one side plate designed tooverlie one side surface of the door, and to merely provide a coveringplate to be applied to the opposite surface of the door. Such aconstruction would also have the advantage of fitting in a recess oraperture extending through the door at a point spaced from the edgethereof. Former constructions were designed to fit in a notch cut in theedge of the door.

It is accordingly the object of the present invention to provide a latchof the push or pull type in which all of the operating mechanism ismounted on one side plate overlying one surface of the door, and toprovide a covering plate designed to overlie the opposite surface of thedoor which is adjustable with relation to the first side plate, Thisconstruction is designed to fit a door ofany thickness within reasonablelimits. The covering plate serves mainly to cover the aperture throughwhich the latch mechanism extends. This covering plate also strengthensand reinforces the door adjacent the latch aperture.

A further object of our invention lies in the fact that with the presentconstruction, it is not necessary to cut a notch in the edge of thedoor. It has been the opinion of some that in cutting a notch in thedoor edge, the door is considerably weakened. This may or may not be avalid objection; but to avoid any question of such a disadvantage, wenow provide a latch which may be inserted through a hole spaced from theextreme edge of the door. Thus the edge of the door remains intact andunbroken.

It is a feature of our inventionthat the operating handle supportingmechanism may be secured to one of the supporting side plates in asimple and eifective'manne'r; This may be by welding or otherwiseattaching integrally to the side plate thelatch supporting mechanism. Ifit is desired, hOWBVEI'ythB latch supporting mech-.

- anism may be attached to the side plate by means may be used toreinforce the door adjacent the cut away portion thereof. In this mannerthe D door may be reinforced, rather than weakened,

by the installation of the latch.

These and other'objects and novel features of our invention will be moreclearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming apart of our specifi cation:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of our latch, in which allof. the operating mechanism is supported by one of the side plates ofthe latch.

- Figure 2 is a perspective viewof the other side of the latch from thatshown in Figure 1, with the covering plate removed.

Figure 31s a perspective View of the covering plate.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional viewtransversely through the latch shownin Figure l, and through a door and door frame to which the latch isapplied.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another form of our latch.

Figure 6 is a perspective View of the opposite side of the latch fromthat illustrated in Figure 5, with the cover plate removed,

Figure 7 is a side elevation view of the cover plate used in connectionwith. the latch of Fig ures5and6. I

Figure 8 isa perspective view of the latch mechanism housing detachedfrom its side plate,

Figural) is a transverse section through'the,

latch of Figure 5 applied to a door and door frame.

Figure 10 is a perspective View of the latch mechanism supporting sideplate, with the latch mechanism housing removed therefrom.

Figure 11 is a sectional view through the latch mechanism housing, theposition of thesection being indicated by the line I l-| l of Figure 9.

Figure 12 is a perspective view ofa modifiedform of latch mechanismhousing construction. The latch Aillustrated in Figures 1 through 4 ofthe drawings comprises a side plate l0 designed to overlie a sidesurface of a door adjacent an edge thereof. The side plate Iii ispreferably provided with an offset edge portion H which may be recessedinto the surface of the door so that the outer surface thereof liesflush with the surface of the door. Apertures I2 are provided throughthe plate It] through which screws or other fastening means may beinserted for the'purpose of securing the side plate to the door,indicated in the drawings by the letter B.

A channel shaped housing I13 is welded or otherwise affixed to the innersurface of the side plate It; the base l4 and opposed top and bottomsides thereof |5 being at substantially right angles to the side plateIll. The end of the housing I3 registers with the aperture |6 in theside plate l0. A substantially horseshoe-shaped handle i1 extendsthrough the aperture l6, and the center portion thereof is embraced bythe channel housing |3. Ears IS on the sides l5 of the housing l3 extendaway from side plate I0; and a pivot 26 extends through the ears l9 andthe handle l1, to pivotally connect the handle to the housing.

In order to urge the handle I1 in one rotative direction, we provide aspring 2| which is in-,

terposed between the base M of the housing I3 and the handle l1.Movement of the handle in the direction in which it is urged by thespring 2| is limited by the edge of the aperture IS in the side plateID.

A cover plate 22 is provided with an aperture 23 through which theyhandle, l1 extends. This cover plate 22 is designed tolie parallel tothe side plate l0, and to overlie the opposite side of the door to thatcovered by the side. plate l0. Screw holes 24 permit'the insertion ofscrews or other fastening means to hold the cover plate in place.

It will be noted that, within reasonable limits, the cover plate 22 maybe moved closer to, or farther from, the side plate l0. For a thin door,it may be moved toward the side plate |0 until it abuts the channelhousing l3. For a thicker door, it may be spacedaway from the side platel0 until the ears l9 are entirely between the plates IO and 22. Thus,the construci tion is adjustable to fit doors of various thicknesses.

The latch'A is shown inserted in a notch 25 cut into the edge of thedoor B. It is obvious,

however, that a hole may be drilled through the door slightly spacedfrom the edge thereof, and the end 26 of the handle l1 threadedtherethrough, until the housing I3 is entirely within the body of thedoor B.

The handle I1 is provided with a shoulder 21 designed to engage in akeeper or catch plate 29 in the door jamb or frame 30. As best seen inFigure 4 of the drawings, the spring 2| urges the handle |1 into thecatch plate 29; and the shoulder 21 may be removed from the keeper bypulling upon the end 26 of the handle H, or by pushing upon the end 3|of the handle l1.

In Figures 5 through 11 of the drawings we disclose a slightly differentform of our invention. The latch C includes a side plate 32 of anysuitable configuration having an aperture 33 therein. The forward edge34 of the plate 32 is preferably shaped as illustrated in the drawings,with a central forwardly projecting peak 35 opposite the center of theaperture 33. Screw apertures 36 are provided through which fastento thedoor D.

With special reference to Figures 10 and 11 of the drawings, it will beseen that an inwardly extending flange 31 extends along the upper edgeof the aperture 33; and a flange 39 extends inwardly from the lower edgeof this aperture. Ears 46 and 4| respectively project inwardly from theflanges 31 and 39 for securing the side plate 32 to the latch mechanismhousing in a manner which will now be more clearly described.

The latch mechanism housing 42 is best illustrated in Figure 8 of thedrawings. The housing 42 comprises a substantially tubular member havinga rear side 43, a top side 44, a bottom side 45, and opposed flanges 46forming a front side. Bearing portions 41 are offset from the top andbottom sides 44 and 45. An aperture 49 is provided in the top side 44 toreceive the ear 40; and a similar ear 4| is accommodated by the aperture50 in the bottom side 45.

- The housing 42 embraces the flanges 31 and 39,

and is held in position thereby. The ear 4|] extends upwardly throughits corresponding aperture 43, and the end thereof is bent back parallelto the flange 31 to lock the housing 42 to the side plate 32. Similarly,the ear 4| extends downwardly through its corresponding aperture 50, andis bent back parallel to the flange 39 for a similar purpose.

A hollow tubular handle 5|, trated in the drawings, is provided with achannel shaped end 52. The channel shaped end 52 includes a. channelbase on the forward edge of the handle, and substantially parallel upperand lower sides 53. The base 54 of the channel end 52 is of suchdimensions to space the sides 53 properly to fit neatly between thebearing portions 41 on the housing 42. A pivot pin 55 extends throughthe bearing portions 41 and through the sides 53 to pivotally connectthe handle 5! to the housing 42.

A second hollow tubular handle 56, curved as illustrated in thedrawings, terminates in a pair of parallel top and bottom arms 51. Thesearms are spaced apart a proper distance to fit neatly between the upperand lower sides 53 of the channel end 52 of the handle 5|. The pivot pin55 extends through these arms 51 to pivotally connect the handle 56 tothe housing 42.

A latch bolt 59 is provided between the arms 51; and the pivot pin 55extends through one end of this latch bolt. A shoulder 60 is provided onthis latch bolt 59; and a cam surface is provided, indicated by thenumeral 58, adjacent this shoulder 66. The free end 6| of this latchbolt 59 extends within the tubular portion of the handle 53, so thatpivotal movement of the handle 56 toward the door D will act to pivotthe latch bolt 59in unison therewith.

An indentation 62 is provided on the rear side 43 of the housing 42; anda lug 63 is provided on the rear side of the latch bolt 53. A spring 64is interposed between the rear side 43 of the housing 42 and the latchbolt 59, being held in place by the indentation 62 and the lug 63.

A covering plate 65 of any suitable configuration is designed to overliethe surface of the door opposite to that over which the side plate 32extends. This covering plate 65 is provided with an aperture 66 throughwhich the handle 5| extends; and is provided with screw holes 61 toaccommodate screws or other fastening means curved as illus-' pressingthe spring 54.

by which the plate 65 may be attached to the door D.

In operation, it will be seen that a pull upon the handle will pivotthis handle outwardly from the door D. The base 54 of the channel end'52 engages the latch bolt 59, pivoting this latch bolt in unison withthe handle 5|, com- The latch shoulderfill may thus be disengaged fromthe keeper 69 recessed in the door jam-b 10. The handle 55' will pivotduring this action.

A push upon the handle 56 will act to pivot the handle about the pivotpin 55. The free end "5| of the latch bolt 59, hearing against thetubular portion of the handle, will act to pivot the latch bolt 59 withthe handle 56. The handle 5| need not pivot during this action.

If the door D swings shut while neither handle is pivoted out of normal,the cam surface 58 will engage the keeper 59 and pivot the latch bolt 59independently of either handle. A pivoted lock arm 1| on the side plate32 may be pivoted into position to block pivotal movement of the latchbolt 59,

The latch C may be attached to a door either case, the handle 5| may bethreaded through the hole 12, and the housing 42 may be insertedentirely into the door. The side plate 32 may then be attached in place.

With the latch mechanism in place, it is only necessary to thread thecovering plate 65 over the handle 5|, and to attach the same to the doorD in opposed relation to the side plate 32. The door D may be so thinthat the side cover plate 55 abuts the end of the housin 42, or may beof considerably greater thickness without af- {acting the operation ofthe latch.

' In Figure 12 of the drawings we disclose a housing 73 which may beused in place of the housing 42. The housing 13 is identical with thehousing 42 with the exception that it is completely tubular, and formedfrom a hollow tube of material. In this housing 13, the top and bottomsides 14 and 15 are connected by a rear side 16 and a front side 11 intowhich the handle ends and latch project.

f In accordance with the patent statutes, We have described theprinciples of construction and operation of our door latch; and whi e wehave endeavored to set forth the best embodiments thereof, we desire tohave it understood that these are only illustrative of means of carryingout our invention, and that obvious changes may be made within the scopeof the following claims without departing from the spirit of ourinvention.

We claim:

1. A door latch comprising a side plate having an aperture therethrough,a housing havingv open ends having one end abutting said side plate, apair of parallel flanges on said side plate adjacent said apertureengaging said housing to hold said housing in place relative to saidside plate,

said housing having apertures therethrough adjacent said one end, andears on said flanges engaging through said apertures to hold saidhousing to said side plate, and curved handle means extending throughsaid aperture. em-

braced by said housing, and pivotally connected said side plate adjacentsaid aperture, flangesbent from the body of said side plate along theupper and lower edges of said aperture, said flanges engaging withinsaid housing for holding said housing in place, apertures through saidhousing near said one end thereof, and ears on said flanges extendingthrough said apertures in said housing to hold said housing to said sideplate; curved handle means extending through said aperture in said sideplate and embraced by said housing, and means pivotally connecting saidhandle to said housing.

3. A door latch comprising a side plate having an aperture therethrough,said aperture having opposed substantially parallel flanges bent fromthe body of said side plate and extending at substantially right anglesthereto, ears on said flanges in offset relation, a housing having openends one of which is secured in abutting relation to said side plate,ofiset apertures in said housing through which said ears are bent tohold said housing against, and in proper position with relation to, saidside plate, a curved handle extending through said aperture in said sideplate and embraced by said housing, pivotally secured to said housing.

RICHARD T. ANDERSON. CARL OLSON.

